Convoy OG.71 | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of World War II | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
![]() | ![]() | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Admiral Karl Dönitz | Vice-Admiral P E Parker DSO | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
8 U-boats | 23 merchant ships 13 escorts | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
10 ships sunk (8 merchants, 2 escorts) 360 killed |
Convoy OG 71 was a trade convoy of merchant ships during the second World War. It was the 71st of the numbered OG convoys Outbound from the British Isles to Gibraltar. The convoy departed Liverpool on 13 August 1941 [1] and was found on 17 August by a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor of Kampfgeschwader 40. Starting on August 19, it became the first convoy of the war to be attacked by a German submarine wolfpack, when reached by eight U-boats from 1st U-boat Flotilla, operating out of Brest. Ten ships comprising a total tonnage of 15,185 tons were sunk before the U-boats lost contact on 23 August. [2]
This convoy was known as "Nightmare Convoy". [3] Eight merchant ships, [2] two naval escorts and over 400 people died, including 152 from the commodore's ship, Aguila (146 on August 19 and 6 survivors lost on August 22 when Empire Oak sank). The Aguila losses included the 22 "lost Wrens" (members of the Women's Royal Naval Service, or WRNS) who had volunteered for duties at Gibraltar. After this, Wrens were never sent again on passenger liners in convoys, but transported on HM ships. [4] In their honour, a new Black Swan-class sloop, launched in 1942, was named HMS Wren, while a Liverpool-class lifeboat, launched in 1951, was named Aguila Wren. [5]
Of the convoy's surviving merchant ships, five reached Gibraltar while 10 retreated to neutral Portugal. [6] [7] This was described as the most "bitter act of surrender could ever come our way". [8]
The two ships from neutral Ireland were carrying British coal—after this incident, the Irish ship owners decided not to sail their vessels in British convoys and by the early months of 1942 the practice had ceased. [9]
A total of 23 merchant vessels joined the convoy in Liverpool. [10]
Name | Flag | Tonnage (GRT) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Aguila (1916) | ![]() | 3,255 | Passenger ship sunk by U-201 [11] on 19 Aug, with 146 dead (another 6 survivors died when Empire Oak was lost 3 days later) Convoy Commodore's ship (Vice-Admiral P E Parker DSO) |
Aighai (1896) | ![]() | 1,406 | Retreated to Oporto |
Aldergrove (1918) | ![]() | 1,974 | Sunk by U-201 [12] on 23 Aug, with 1 dead |
Alva (1934) | ![]() | 1,584 | Sunk by U-559 [13] on 19 Aug |
Cervantes (1919) | ![]() | 1,810 | Retreated to Lisbon. |
Ciscar (1919) | ![]() | 1,808 | Sunk by U-201 [14] on 19 Aug |
Clonlara (1926) | ![]() | 1,203 | Retreated towards Lisbon. Sunk by U-201 [15] on 22 Aug, with 19 dead |
Copeland (1923) | ![]() | 1,526 | Rescue Ship |
Ebro (1920) | ![]() | 1,547 | Reached Gibraltar. |
Empire Oak (1941) | ![]() | 484 | Sunk by U-564 [16] on 22 Aug, with 19 dead (including 6 of 6 originally rescued from Aguila and 9 of 11 rescued from Alva) |
Empire Stream (1941) | ![]() | 2,911 | Retreated to Lisbon. Vice-Commodore's Ship |
Grelhead (1915) | ![]() | 4,274 | Retreated to Lisbon |
Lanarhone (1928) | ![]() | 1,221 | Arrived in Lisbon, her intended destination. |
Lapwing (1920) | ![]() | 1,348 | Reached Gibraltar. |
Lyminge (1919) | ![]() | 2,499 | Retreated to Lisbon. |
Marklyn (1918) | ![]() | 3,090 | Reached Gibraltar. |
Meta (1930) | ![]() | 1,575 | Retreated to Lisbon. |
Petrel (1920) | ![]() | 1,354 | Retreated to Oporto |
Spero (1922) | ![]() | 1,589 | Reached Gibraltar. |
Spind (1917) | ![]() | 2,197 | Torpedoed and damaged by U-564 & finally sunk by U-552 [17] on 23 Aug, with no deaths |
Starling (1930) | ![]() | 1,320 | Reached Gibraltar. |
Stork (1937) | ![]() | 787 | Sunk by U-201 [18] on 23 Aug, with 19 dead |
Switzerland (1922) | ![]() | 1,291 | Retreated to Lisbon. |
A series of armed military ships escorted the convoy at various times during its journey. [10]
HMS Marigold was a Flower-class corvette of the Royal Navy. She was launched on 4 September 1940 and was sunk by an Italian air-dropped torpedo on 9 December 1942.
Convoy SL 125 was the 125th of the numbered series of World War II SL convoys of merchant ships from Sierra Leone to Liverpool. Ships carrying commodities bound to the British Isles from South America, Africa, and the Indian Ocean travelled independently to Freetown, Sierra Leone, to be convoyed for the last leg of their voyage. Thirty-seven merchant ships departed Freetown on 16 October 1942 and were joined at sea by five more.
HMS Bideford was a Royal Navy Shoreham-class sloop. She was named after the town of Bideford in Devon and was launched on 1 April 1931.
Convoy ON 122 was a trade convoy of merchant ships during the Second World War. It was the 122nd of the numbered series of ON convoys Outbound from the British Isles to North America. The ships departed Liverpool on 15 August 1942 and were joined on 17 August by Escort Group B6 of the Mid-Ocean Escort Force.
Convoy TAG 18 was a trade convoy of merchant ships during the second World War. It was the 18th of the numbered TAG Convoys from Trinidad and Aruba to Guantánamo. The convoy was shadowed from 1 to 4 November by U-160 skippered by Kapitänleutnant Georg Lassen and joined on 5 November by U-129 – skippered by Hans-Ludwig Witt. The two U-boats sank six ships from the convoy.
Convoy TAG 5 was a trade convoy of merchant ships during the second World War. It was the 5th of the numbered TAG Convoys from Trinidad and Aruba to Guantánamo. The convoy was found on 13 September 1942 by U-558. Kapitänleutnant Günther Krech destroyed three ships from the convoy in two approaches aboard U-558.
Convoy TAG 19 was a trade convoy of merchant ships during the second World War. It was the 19th of the numbered TAG Convoys from Trinidad and Aruba to Guantánamo. The convoy was found on the night of 5–6 November 1942 by U-508. Kapitänleutnant Georg Staats sank two ships from the convoy on 7 November in two approaches aboard U-508.
Convoy ON 113 was a trade convoy of merchant ships during the second World War. It was the 113th of the numbered series of ON convoys Outbound from the British Isles to North America. The ships departed Liverpool on 17 July 1942 and were joined on 18 July by Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group C-2. They were found on 24 July by the eleven U-boats of Wolf pack Wolf. Five ships were sunk before the convoy reached Halifax, Nova Scotia on 31 July.
Convoy SC 19 was the 19th of the numbered series of World War II Slow Convoys of merchant ships from Sydney, Cape Breton Island to Liverpool. The trade convoy left Halifax, Nova Scotia on 12 January 1941 and was found by U-boats of the 7th U-boat Flotilla on 29 January. Seven ships were sunk before the convoy reached Liverpool on 2 February.
Convoy HX 126 was the 126th of the numbered series of World War II HX convoys of merchant ships from HalifaX to Liverpool.
Convoy SC 67 was the 67th of the numbered series of World War II Slow Convoys of merchant ships from Sydney, Cape Breton Island to Liverpool. The convoy left Halifax on 30 January 1942 and picked up a tran-Atlantic escort in Newfoundland. This marked the start of the allied end-to-end convoy escort system, which remained in effect until the end of the war. The convoy was found by U-591 on 10 February, and attacked by U-136 of 6th U-boat Flotilla, operating out of St Nazaire. Surviving ships reached Liverpool on 15 February.
Convoy HX 65 was a North Atlantic convoy of the HX series which ran during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II. It was the 65th of the numbered series of merchant convoys run by the Allies from Halifax to Liverpool. The convoy was attacked by German U-boats and aircraft, losing eight of its 51 ships sunk and a further three damaged. One U-boat was damaged.
Convoy HX 231 was the 231st of the numbered series of Second World War HX convoys of merchant ships from HalifaX to Liverpool. The ships departed New York City on 25 March 1943 and were met on 31 March by Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group B-7. The convoy was found on 4 April and attacked by eleven U-boats of the 1st, 3rd, 6th and 10th U-boat flotillas, from Brest, La Rochelle, St Nazaire and Lorient, respectively. These U-boats formed wolfpack Löwenherz' (Lionheart). The U-boats sank six ships before losing contact on 7 April. Two U-boats, U-632 and U-635, were sunk. The convoy reached Liverpool on 10 April.
Convoy ON 92 was a trade convoy of merchant ships during the Second World War. It was the 92nd of the numbered series of ON convoys Outbound from the British Isles to North America. The ships departed from Liverpool on 6 May 1942 and were joined on 7 May by Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group A-3.
Convoy OG 69 was a trade convoy of merchant ships during the second World War. It was the 69th of the numbered OG convoys Outbound from the British Isles to Gibraltar. The convoy departed Liverpool on 20 July 1941 and was found on 25 July by Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condors of Kampfgeschwader 40. Nine ships were sunk by submarine attacks continuing through 30 July.
Convoy SC 100 was a North Atlantic convoy, one of the SC series which ran during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II. It was the 100th of the numbered series of slow convoys of merchant ships from Sydney, Cape Breton Island to Liverpool. It came under attack, one of several convoy battles that occurred during the autumn and winter of 1942, losing five ships.
Convoy ON 115 was a trade convoy of 43 merchant ships with 12 escort ships during the Second World War. The convoy departed Liverpool on 24 July 1942 and arrived at Boston on 8 August. Three ships were lost to U-boats during the crossing and two were damaged.
SS Aguila was a British steam passenger liner. She was built in Dundee in 1917 and was sunk by enemy action in the North Atlantic in 1941. She belonged to Yeoward Line, which carried passengers and fruit between Liverpool, Lisbon, Madeira and the Canary Islands.
Convoy HX 47 was a North Atlantic convoy of the HX series which ran during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II. It was the 47th of the numbered series of merchant convoys run by the Allies from Halifax to Liverpool. The convoy was attacked by German U-boats and lost three of its 58 ships.
HMS Deptford was a Grimsby-class sloop of the British Royal Navy. Built at Chatham Dockyard in the 1930s, Deptford was launched in 1935 and commissioned later that year. The ship saw early service on the Persian Gulf station, but the outbreak of the Second World War saw Deptford serving as a convoy escort in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean, sinking a German U-boat in 1941. She survived the war and was scrapped in 1948.